1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to communication between a mobile station and a Position Determining Entity (PDE) via a proxy server. More particularly, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the proxy server is operable to receive data from a mobile station, process the data in conjunction with information contained within proxy server databases, and forward/modify, as appropriate, the data to the PDE or block requests based on rules configured within the proxy server.
2. Description of the Related Art
As depicted in FIG. 1, in a wireless communication system or network 100, mobile station 110, such as cellular or PCS telephones with Internet connections, typically transmit packet data over a network by establishing a point-to-point protocol (PPP) with one or more packet data service nodes (PDSN) 120, 130. The mobile station 110 sends packets across an radio frequency (RF) interface, for example, a code division multiple access (CDMA) interface, to a base station or packet control function (not shown). The base station or packet control function establishes the PPP instance with the PDSN 120, 130.
FIG. 1 illustrates a CDMA network 100 as known in the related art. The mobile station 110 is connected to a radio network, Carrier A or Carrier B, through the radio frequency band. In particular, the radio network Carrier A to which the mobile station 110 belongs before traveling may be known as a home radio network, and the radio network Carrier B to which the mobile station 110 belongs after traveling may be known as a target radio network. The radio network Carrier A or Carrier B connects the mobile station 110 with a packet data serving node (PDSN) 120 or 130. Specifically, the PDSN 120 to which the mobile station 110 belongs before traveling may be known as a home PDSN 120, and the PDSN 130 to which the mobile station 110 belongs after traveling may be known as a target PDSN 130. The radio network Carrier A or Carrier B may include a radio base station (not shown) and a base station controller/packet control function (BSC/PCF) (not shown). The radio network Carrier A or Carrier B and the PDSN 120 or 130 allow the mobile station 110 to communicate data over a network, such as the Internet.
In such a wireless communication network, a handover is performed when the mobile station 110 travels to an area managed by the radio network Carrier B and the PDSN 130 while performing data service through the radio network Carrier A and the PDSN 120. If the handover is performed as above, in the CDMA network, the PDSN 120 managing the mobile station 110 before traveling is connected with the PDSN 130 managing the mobile station 110 after traveling, by tunneling. More particularly, in the CDMA network, the handover is performed using a path extension between the PDSNs 120 and 130 through tunneling, without changing the PDSN 120 providing a service to the mobile station 110. That is, after the handover, the mobile station 110 communicates data through the first PDSN 120, the second PDSN 130, and the second radio network Carrier B. The first and second PDSNs 120 and 130 are connected through a tunnel.
When a mobile station 110 initiates a request for information from a Position Determining Entity (PDE) (a PDE request) in a roaming environment as described, the request is forwarded via an existing connection to the mobile station's home radio network, Carrier A. However, one disadvantage in the roaming environment is that it may be difficult to determine the appropriate PDE 140, 150 to which the PDE request should be sent.